The Maine NCFL Diocese invites all Maine NCFL member schools to attend the National Qualifying Speech and Debate Tournaments: 

• Congressional Debate on February 27, 2021 at the virtual Maine State Tournament

• Debate and Speech held virtually on Saturday, March 20, 2021

Please read through all the information in this invitation carefully to facilitate a safe and speedy tournament.

At this time the national Executive Council is leaning toward holding an online national tournament, but has not fully confirmed.

Events and Entry Limits

There are no entry limits for this tournament. Only single entry is allowed, although competitors in Congressional Debate can opt to compete on March 17 in another event.

This tournament will follow the virtual format established by the Maine Forensics Association.

There will be four qualifiers and two alternates named in each of the following categories:

• Congressional Debate (as a single chamber)

• Lincoln Douglas Debate (as a single division)

• Public Forum Debate (as a single division)

• Extemporaneous Speaking

• Oral Interpretation of Literature

• Dramatic Interpretation of Literature

• Duo Interpretation of Literature

• Original Oratory

• Oratorical Declamation (ninth and tenth grade standing only)

Every effort will be made to run all categories. While a category with fewer than 5 entries likely means all entries qualify for the national tournament by default, all entrants are expected to actively compete to be eligible.

Category Descriptions

Since the NCFL recognizes competitive categories that can vary from those offered at MFA-sponsored events, a description of each category with differences noted follows:

• Congressional Debate: Group assembly that debates legislation. There is a single chamber (that is, no distinction between Senate and House). NOTE: This diocese will determine qualifiers by competition at the Maine State Championship Tournament and the legislative docket used at that tournament.

• Lincoln-Douglas Debate: Single individual, value-based debate.

• Public Forum Debate: Paired team debate centered on current event issues.

• Extemporaneous Speaking: Answers a question concerning either domestic and foreign current event topics. No notes allowed. Seven minutes in length. Refer to the Maine State Championship Tournament invitation here for round-by-round topics.

• Dramatic Performance: Selection that comes from a published source either dramatic or humorous in nature. Must have an introduction, 5-10 minutes in length. Memorized. 

• Duo Interpretation of Literature: Form a published printed source with two or more characters. Five to ten minutes in length with an introduction. May be humorous or dramatic in content. Memorized.

• Oral Interpretation of Literature: A program event with alternating rounds of poetry and prose. Delivered from a manuscript. Each student will do poetry twice and prose twice. Order of genre presentation in the round determined at the tournament. Each selection is 5-10 minutes in length.

• Original Oratory: Persuasive, memorized speech. Seven to ten minutes long with citations.

• Oratorical Declamation: A memorized speech written and publicly delivered by another individual. This event is only opened to freshmen and sophomore competitors.

Duo will be held asynchronously, split screen. The submitted recording must be continuous with no editing. All other events will be synchronous.

If you have any questions or want a more detailed description of the event along with ballots and the judging criteria, please go to the National Catholic Forensics’ League website.

Coaches: It is the coaches responsibility to make sure that students have access to copies of their competitive material in case of a challenge.

Registration for Congressional Debate

Register via Tabroom here by 8:00 a.m. Saturday, February 27. You may drop entries without penalty by February 27 at 8:30 a.m.

IMPORTANT: While national qualifiers are determined by competition that occurs at the Maine State Championship Tournament, your registration for the Maine State Championship Tournament does not make your student eligible to qualify for nationals. You must register for this qualifying tournament to indicate intent to qualify for nationals. Please submit an email list of registered Congressional debaters to D’Arcy Robinson for entry confirmation.

Registration for Speech and Debate

Registration via Tabroom here by 11:55 p.m. Wednesday, March 17. You may drop entries without penalty by March 20 at 8:00 a.m.

Judges’ names and area of expertise should also accompany the registration.

Debate Topics

Lincoln Douglas

Resolved: The United States ought to guarantee universal child care.

Public Forum

Resolved: On balance, the benefits of creating the United States Space Force outweigh the harms.

Congressional Debate

View the docket here.

Extemporaneous Speaking 

Domestic

Round 1: US immigration legislation

Round 2: SEC regulation

Round 3: Congressional gridlock

Round 4: COVID-19

Foreign

Round 1: Impact of immigration on EU

Round 2: China’s influence in the world

Round 3: Future of WHO

Round 4: Effect of COVID-19 on emerging countries

Judges

You must provide the judge for all four rounds of speech and debate. If a judge departs early with no one to cover the remaining rounds, the responsible team will be penalized accordingly!

Congressional Debate: No burden as judges are managed per the Maine State Championship Tournament registration.

Debate: One judge per every two entries in both Public Forum and Lincoln-Douglas or any fraction thereof. Every other judge must be unaffiliated.

Speech: One judge for every three entries or any fraction thereof. Every other judge must be unaffiliated.

Fees

$5.00 per entry, including Congressional Debate entries

$60.00 per hired judge (if available)

Entry fees and judge burdens will be frozen at 6 p.m. Friday, March 19. Drops on tournament day will be assessed an additional $10.00 nuisance fee per entry. 

NOTE: If you are unable to attend, be sure to drop your entire entry before the tournament day. An entire school drop on the day of the tournament still holds the school to their fees and judge burdens, plus will incur a nuisance fee for each entry.

Billing will be handled through MFA. 

Awards

National qualifying awards will be given to the four top contestants in each category. Two alternates will be recognized in case the national qualifier is unable to attend.

Tentative Tournament Schedule for March 20

Coaches should check in via Tabroom no later than 8:30 a.m. 

We will adjust the schedule as needed to run a smooth and fair competition, so please advise students and judges to be flexible and attentive to email and text messages throughout the day.

All students are guaranteed four rounds.

The day is scheduled as follows:

• 8:00-8:30 Registration check in (get there early)

• 8:35 Pre-tournament meetings begin

• 9:00 Rounds begin

• Awards as soon as possible

There will be a lunch break after round 3 of all events.

We hope that we have covered all the bases. Feel free to call D’Arcy Robinson at any time if you have questions. We hope to make this a great NCFL Tournament for all, and we hope that you will join us.

Sincerely,

D’Arcy F. Robinson, CFL Moderator